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Does a med spa have to register or hold a license in Maryland?

Facility · part of The Practice Perimeter

An individual must be licensed by the Maryland Board of Cosmetologists before practicing cosmetology in the State, and esthetic services are carried on a limited license within that scheme. These claims reach the INDIVIDUAL cosmetology credential only; they do not address facility-level registration of a med spa, which is a separate question we do not answer here. On compounded drugs the Board of Pharmacy’s sterile compounding chapter supplies the definitions: compounding is the preparation, mixing, assembling, packaging or labeling of a drug as the result of a practitioner’s prescription drug order or practitioner/patient initiative, for research or teaching and not for sale or dispensing, or IN ANTICIPATION of a prescription drug order based on routine, regularly observed prescribing patterns; a compounded sterile preparation is a sterile medication prepared in the pharmacy under accepted aseptic technique. Whether a compounded semaglutide or tirzepatide product may be supplied to or stocked by a med spa is not answered by these definitions. The COST of the credential is delegated rather than stated: the Board of Cosmetologists sets by regulation reasonable application, licensing, renewal, reinstatement, certification, permit and inspection fees, sized to approximate the cost of maintaining the Board, and publishes a schedule of them; examination fees may not exceed the cost of the examinations. The statute names no amount; the Board’s published schedule, read on the Board’s own page, lists a shop license (limited or full service) at $225 original and $56 renewal, and a cosmetologist or limited esthetician license at $28 original and $28 renewal, all nonrefundable and subject to change with public notice.

Drawn from 7 verified rules in this section · regulatory monitoring, not legal advice

The rest of what Maryland says on this

Every other rule we have verified under med-spa registration & licensing, each linked to its primary source.

  • Except as otherwise provided in this title, an individual shall be licensed by the Board to practice cosmetology before the individual may practice cosmetology in the State.

    Md. Code, Bus. Occ. & Prof. §5-301(a) · verified Sep 3, 2026

  • If an individual holds the appropriate limited license, the individual may practice cosmetology in a manner limited to providing esthetic services; providing eyelash extension services; providing hair services; providing hair services – blow drying; or providing nail technician services.

    Md. Code, Bus. Occ. & Prof. §5-301(b) · verified Sep 3, 2026

  • Anticipatory compounding for later dispensing is inside Maryland's definition. “Compounding” means the preparation, mixing, assembling, packaging, or labeling of a drug: (a) As the result of a practitioner’s prescription drug order or initiative based on the practitioner/patient relationship in the course of professional practice; (b) For the purpose of, or incidental to, research, teaching, or chemical analysis and not for the sale or dispensing of the drug or device; or (c) In anticipation of a prescription drug order based on routine, regularly observed prescribing patterns.

    Md. Code Regs. 10.34.19.03(B)(9) (Sterile Pharmaceutical Compounding — “Compounding” defined) · verified Sep 7, 2026

  • “Compounded sterile preparation” means sterile medication preparations, such as intravenous, epidural, and intraocular medications, compounded in the pharmacy using currently accepted aseptic compounding techniques under acceptable compounding conditions.

    Md. Code Regs. 10.34.19.03(B)(8) (“Compounded sterile preparation” defined) · verified Sep 7, 2026

  • The Board of Cosmetologists’ published schedule: Fees are set by Law and Regulation and are subject to change with public notice given. All fees are nonrefundable. COSMETOLOGIST LICENSE FEE Type of License Cat Original Renew Late SHOP LIMITED SERVICE 01 $225 $ 56 $ 112 after 45 days $225 SHOP FULL SERVICE 02 $225 $ 56 $ 112 after 45 days $225 SENIOR COSMETOLOGIST 04 $ 28 $ 28 $56 COSMETOLOGIST 08 $ 28 $ 28 $56 LIMITED ESTHETICIAN 15 $ 28 $ 28 $56

    Maryland Board of Cosmetologists — Forms and Fees (published schedule under Bus. Occ. & Prof. §5-208(c)) · verified Sep 7, 2026

  • ⛔ MARYLAND SETS THE COSMETOLOGY FEES BY REGULATION AND PUBLISHES A SCHEDULE; THE STATUTE NAMES NO AMOUNT. Except for the examination fees that the Board shall establish in amounts not to exceed the costs of the examinations, the Board may set by regulation reasonable fees for its services, including application fees, licensing fees, license renewal fees, license reinstatement fees, certification fees, permit fees, permit renewal fees, inspection fees, and any other fees necessary for the Board to carry out this title. The fees charged shall be: (1) set so as to produce funds to approximate the cost of maintaining the Board; The Board shall publish a schedule of fees set by the Board.

    Md. Code, Bus. Occ. & Prof. §5-208(a)-(c) (Fees — set by the Board by regulation; schedule published) · verified Sep 7, 2026

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← All Maryland rules and changes · MedSpaRadar is regulatory monitoring and reference, not legal, medical, or compliance advice. Verify against the linked primary source and consult qualified counsel before acting — rules change and turn on your specific facts. Legislative data via LegiScan (CC BY 4.0).